As the Rays Dim
by Konafox
Summary: For the first time in years, the whole of Chaotix and Sonic's crew team up. The mission fails at the cost of everyone's life, except for young Ray, who is rescued by some old... acquaintances. Rated T for death, cursing. May go up. FionaXRay


_Ray is an underdog that needs some attention. I'm part of the RAG (Ray Awareness Group) therefore I wrote this story. I have no clue how long it'll go, 'cause I sort of wrote on impulse… So… (Sorry for any Grammar errors. It's late. )_

**Ray, Nic, Fiona, Bark and Bean are all © Archie**

**-ENJOY-**

His mouth fell open as he watched the mechanical beast swerve towards the ground that he lay still on right now. "No. No!" The ship was falling, everyone one was doomed, and he was laying useless and broken on the ground. No good… No good.

The Egg Wing fortress moaned and creaked, giving a gasp of pain with each explosion as it fell from the clouded white and gray sky. A ghostly "Waaaahhh" moaned from the air, as it raced closer was evident to the boy's large ears. He knew everyone was on it. All of his friends… Sonic, Mighty, Tails, Shadow, Amy, the Chaotix, Knuckles…

Its loaming figure grew bigger and bigger, heading straight towards the squirrel, following his path. Destruction seemed imminent in so many ways. Hopelessness was all that touched his heart. All he could do was blink his emerald green eyes as he waited to be crushed by the monster. Maybe it would be painless? Maybe, and more likely, it would be excruciating. Either way, they were all gone once it hit. The nose of the monster was a mere five hundred yards away, it's linear path soon to be disrupted by the ground, and Ray in its path. Naturally, a tremor of fear ripped through the squirrel and he gasped out in pain. He could feel his spine hit three different parts of his back… He could _feel_ though.

Finally the wind as it split began to make Rays fur ruffle. The mechanical beast screamed with another few explosions; it's cries no longer faint. Worse of all, he swore could hear the screams of his friends as they too awaited their death. He was sure they already thought the fall had killed him. Didn't they want to join him?

_Didn't they want to join him?_

_Didn't they want…?_

It hit Ray with a pang of fear. Of course not! Nobody wants to die. Sometimes that doesn't become evident until the end. Or at least, until it's too late, like it was now. Suddenly the squirrel felt hot tears drop from his eyes and stream heavily down his furry tan cheeks.

"NO! NO!" He cried again. "I don't want to die! I don't want to!" Shock faded, and adrenalin began to pulse through his body. "I don't want to! Not yet! Please no! Oh God, oh God! Spare me! Please please!" He lifted his head slightly and shook it furiously, scattering silver sparkling drops like a rain shower among the pebbles on the crimson ground. Was this how the first team up in years between the full Chaotix and Sonic's crew was supposed to end up? Was it meant to be a total and complete failure?!

A sob choked the young squirrel and he gritted his teeth. His eyes shut tight in fear as the nose of the beast remained only a dozen or so yards. This was it! This was it! His young life was going to be snuffed out for sure this time! Despite his sickening pain, he wrenched his neck so his nose buried into his fur. _I don't want to die!_

"HOLD ON!" A feminine voice cried, and Ray felt himself scraped up from the gravel and the small crater his body had created in the soft ground from his fall. A grunt from behind him, and a chuckle told him that he and his rescuer weren't the only ones in the blast. The ground shifted with a rumble, and a hot rush of air met his back as he was squeezed tighter to the female's chest in protection. A voice cried out "BEAN! NOW!"

Another voice, male sounded out, "Alrighty, Fiona!" And with it followed the sounds of dozen explosions. The heat died back, with the deep grunt of a seemingly muscular male.

His rescuers voice, Fiona, sounded again loud, but clear above all explosions and the sound of grinding metal, twisting and withering in pain. "Thanks Bark!"

Ray closed his eyes, moving his arms onto his chest in fear. These guys… Were familiar. Who were Fiona and Bark? The names seemed to be buried in the deepest crevasses of his brain, trying to dig out the faces they belonged to. His voice was robbed from him by shock and confusion. Even his pain seemed distanted. All he could do at the moment was wish, was that the dull sun, barely poking through the clouds would stop silhouetting the heroin's face. His eyes opened again, the green becoming the majority, then the lesser as the pupils adjusted themselves. With out warning, he felt tears start to well up in them. Impulse forced the little squirrel to choke on his sobs. He would be fine… But the others... They were dead! Dead forever, and he would never see their faces again.

The form that clutched him slowed to a stop. "Nic, do me a favor and lay that towel out there. Bark, would you mind getting Bean to hand over the gauze?" She asked, her voice somewhat urgent and rushed. After minutes of scuffling, barely audible over the crackling of the fire that was in reality far behind them now; he felt himself being lowered onto a soft blanket, cushioning his body against the hard could ground he had previously been resting. Naturally Ray began to twist, partly from fear, and partly from discomfort. Finally, he caught the glimpse of a few of his rescuers. One had spoke words he couldn't hear, but her voice was still clear.

She was his rescuer. A brownish red fox, with a bushel of hair on her head a shade darker then crimson stared at him softly through slate blue-gray eyes. Her muzzle was a delicate creamy tan. Like sand made into liquid, in Ray's opinion. Next to her was another female. This one was a weasel, light violet in color with a white muzzle. Her nose was a glaring blue, the same as her eyes. She seemed more cold then Fiona.

The girl fox, who Ray dubbed Fiona, bent down and smiled at him, "Hello, Ray… It's been a long time… The last time I saw you, you were imprisoned…" It struck him with shock. Rushing back to him like a lost child, a shadow of his past, Ray remembered being a little boy, glued to the Power Gem while allowing his friends and this Fiona character to save themselves… And Nic, she… She saved _him_.

These were people who played a major role in his life. It disturbed him that they were almost lost to the voids of his mind.

The squirrel felt himself turned onto his side, and heard Fiona's voice in a soft unnerving whisper. "Oh my god… His spine..." Immediately, Ray began to squirm in horrid agony and was pressed down by Fiona; something hot ran down his back. A shudder passed through him, and then he fell still again. He could here someone throwing up to the left, followed by a whiny, "Bark, not on my freakin' shoe!"

"Man, wheeew!" Nic the weasel whistled, looking down at him. "He's got some bad damage there. Wonder 'ow that 'appened." She smirked. "He aint gon' live." Ray felt his eyes widen and began to struggle again.

Fiona raced to hold him down until he calmed once again, then she looked at Nic in a scolding manner. "Shh! Nic, you're frightening him. Let me just do my work. I know what to do." Fiona lifted her hands from his fur, and a cold rush hit Ray.

"Please don't let… me die… Please… don't let me… go…" Ray couldn't believe how weak his voice was. It was begging for him. He didn't ask it to, but he couldn't stop. "Fiona… Please keep me here…." His green eyes closed half way as Fiona's widened. Her mouth opened slightly, then closed. The fox nodded her head.

Ray felt a smile tug at his lips as he felt her hand touch his fur, and began to tend and dress his back. It was as if he suddenly felt all the pain disappear, that her touch made the world spins in his favor. Hours turned to minutes, instead of minutes turning to hours. Silence filled the air, except for the now soothing cackle of the fire hungrily chewing the remains of the ship and his friends. The pain was gone, and soon all feeling was gone. A gasp came from above him, and again the sound of vomiting was loud in the air.

Quietly, the young yellow mammal fell into an opaque miasma that seemed inescapable.

---

_If you were wondering what Bean was doing with his bombs, he was using them to counter the explosions being set off by the landing fortress. This was to soften the impact of the explosion to the running group._

_R&R. If you flame, please atleast leave a note about where I can improve, and how to do so. Have a good day!_


End file.
